Various known measuring devices capture at least one measured variable, which is relevant to an assessment of a repair or maintenance which may be necessary of the component, and in which an evaluation of the captured measured variable with regard to a repair or maintenance of the component concerned which may be required immediately or in the future is carried out by an evaluation software implemented in an evaluation device arranged on board the rail vehicle or rail vehicle train, and in which, in the event that the evaluation device deems that it is necessary for a repair or maintenance of the component concerned to be carried out immediately or in the future, a message relating to this is generated by the evaluation device and transmitted to a control center. which is located outside the rail vehicle or outside the rail vehicle train. An example of such operation is known, for example, from DE 102 33 845 B4.